Characterization of naturally goat cheese enriched in conjugated linoleic acid and omega-3 fatty acids for human clinical trial in overweight and obese subjects

The growing interest in the development of strategies for improving the fatty acid composition of dairy products with potential health benefits is a challenge for the industry. A goat cheese naturally enriched in conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and omega-3 was elaborated using milk from goats fed a supplement based on extruded linseed. Diet induced a linear increase in unsaturated fatty acids percentages at the expense of saturated fatty acids. Thus, the content of the omega-3 was 5-fold higher in enriched cheese (EC) than in control cheese (CC). A sizeable enhancement was also found in the concentration of CLA as well as of its precursor, trans-vaccenic acid. As the level of omega-6 remained almost unaffected, the n-6/n-3 ratio was reduced 7 fold. Besides, a reduction in the cholesterol content and a higher level of sphingomyelin also occurred in the EC. In conclusion, goat diet supplementation seems to improve the nutritional value of the traditional cheese without significant variations in its texture and sensory quality during storage. Thus, this study demonstrates that naturally enriched goat cheese in CLA and omega-3 can meet quality standards with a consistent bioactive lipid pattern for a large human clinical trial focusing on overweight and obese subjects.